1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194 
Barrier blues
Page 26
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
FOR MANY YEARS Commercial Motor has campaigned for improved safety barriers on our roads. In 1994 you reported that in the previous year nearly 2.600 vehicles either crossed the central reservation of a dual carriageway or hit the central reservation that is supposed to prevent head-on collisions.The Department for Transport's reaction was seemingly to accept that such incidents were so exceptional that no action was required.
In addition there are many cases of trucks and coaches running off the road and down embankments, often with loss of life.The drivers involved are invariably blamed and often prosecuted.while it is the absence of a suitable barrier which turned a minor incident into a major catastrophe.
Barriers will no more prevent crashes than seat-belts and airbags but they have a marked effect on the resulting injuries. Moreover, crossover accidents put innocent oncoming drivers and passengers at risk a vehicle deflected back into the carriageway after barrier impact should pose no hazard to following traffic if sensible separation distances are maintained.
Rather than continually interfering in how responsible drivers should conduct themselves on the road (the irresponsible will take no notice anyway) politici should study the innate good sense offered in your column Between the lines (CM 19 Febri ary) and act to reduce the toll u innocent lives lost by fitting bai ers which are arguably fit forth intended purpose.
Anthony G Phillips Salisbury, Wilts